


Umbra, I've a feeling we're not in Eos anymore

by notthelasttime



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: FFXII AU, M/M, Minor Violence, Sky Pirate Gladio, Viera Ignis, a hodgepodge conglomeration of both FFXV and FFXII i'm sorry idk what this is, more like potential/implied future gladnis i guess but
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-26
Updated: 2017-11-26
Packaged: 2019-02-07 01:33:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,890
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12830502
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/notthelasttime/pseuds/notthelasttime
Summary: Viera weren't common, even in a city like Insomnia, but out here? Hammerhead was little more than a glorified desert outpost, and if weren't for Cindy's reputation as a mechanic they would never have built an aerodrome, let alone a bar. Mostly Hammerhead only attracted hunters and pirates and the general scum of Eos. Men on the run. Men like Gladio.Still, that wasn't what caught his attention.It was the expression on his face, that faraway look visible even half hidden behind the shine of his glasses, a look that said he wasn't seeing what was in front of him, not the other patrons clustered around tables, not the nearly empty glass in front of him. He was somewhere else, somewhere far away. Gladio knew that look well and it made him ache.





	Umbra, I've a feeling we're not in Eos anymore

**Author's Note:**

> its almost 3am i can't sleep and i've been playing too much of the zodiac age. it figures my first gladnis would be something bogus i'm sorry

Gladio's eyes snapped straight to him as soon as he walked into the tavern.

It was hard not to notice. Viera weren't common, even in a city like Insomnia, but out here? Hammerhead was little more than a glorified desert outpost, and if weren't for Cindy's reputation as a mechanic they would never have built an aerodrome, let alone a bar. The Empire made use of the place on occasion, just like they did with everything in _their_ territory, but mostly Hammerhead only attracted hunters and pirates and the general scum of Eos. Men on the run. Men like Gladio. 

Still, that wasn't what caught his attention. 

It was the expression on his face, that faraway look visible even half hidden behind the shine of his glasses, a look that said he wasn't seeing what was in front of him, not the other patrons clustered around tables, not the nearly empty glass in front of him. He was somewhere else, somewhere far away. Gladio knew that look well and it made him ache.

It'd been a long time since he'd worn an expression like that himself, not since he first cut ties with Insomnia, spending days picking up work where he could and nights with a bottle and an overactive memory. Thinking about the days when his father was still an honorable man, when Iris was young and optimistic about the world, before she...

It still stung, remembering a past so dulled with time and denial. Even when he'd dropped his notorious last name, grown out his hair and covered his arms in tattoos. His skin had bled, and scabbed, and eventually healed, like he'd wanted his mind to do, but that had been more difficult. Getting an airship had helped, the freedom of flight giving him the wings he'd always wanted. Time helped too, and distance. But mostly what helped was the vindictive streak that ran through him a mile wide that made him get his petty revenge on the Empire through a surplus of stolen goods and treasure. A reputation as a notorious sky pirate, a persona so far gone from everything he'd ever been raised to be well... that all helped too. These days he looked like anything but a respectable member of the Empire's Royal Guard, Gladio prefered to keep it that way. There were still people out there that wanted his head, and not for his piracy. 

So. Gladio had his reasons for butting heads with the Empire, his reason's for being on the run and winding up at a shithole like Hammerhead. But that didn't answer the question as to how a Viera got here, or why. 

Gladio had never been particularly good at keeping curiosity from getting the best of him, but he let himself pretend he was thinking things over when he sat down at the bar and waved Takka over to order a drink - whiskey, neat. Liquid courage for stupid decisions based on a feeling deep in his gut, a gentle tug and pull telling him to _do something_. He resisted the urge to throw it all back in one shot and get the anticipation over with. No, he'd sip his whiskey nice and slow and pretend he wasn't watching the Viera out of the corner of his eye, or keeping tabs on whoever else is watching him as well. He wasn't the only one with prying eyes, but he'd probably be the only one brave (or stupid) enough to do something about it. At least that's what his feet told him while they carried him over to the back of the tavern.

"Can I buy you another drink?"

Green eyes snapped up to him and just like that the lost expression was gone, defenses up instead. He was beautiful - of course, all Viera were, at least to Humes, but up close it was hard not to stare. Even the little imperfections, the bump in his nose, freckles and marks on his skin, did nothing to take away from that. Tawny ears twitched in irritation and Gladio saw the way the Viera clenched his jaw before answering.

"I'm not looking for company."

An accent - not a local from the Myrlwood then, from Tenebrae, maybe, or somewhere thereabout. Even farther away from home than Gladio thought he was. Of all the places he'd been, Tenebrae wasn't one of them. Too much Empire influence, and for all his faults Gladio didn't have a death wish. 

"Maybe company's looking for you. Gods know you've got the attention of everyone here."

The Viera stared back, face stoney as he crossed his arms over his chest. 

"Including yours, it seems," he narrowed his eyes, but didn't look away. Neither did Gladio. "It's rude to stare."

Gladio shrugged, "We don't get many visitors from the wood out here, and newcomers give them something to talk about. I'm Gladio."

"Pleasure," he said, arms still crossed and with a tone that said this meeting was anything but pleasurable. Time to try again. 

"You look like someone that shouldn't be left alone with their own thoughts right about now."

"Do I?" The Viera asked, raised his eyebrows. He leaned forward, "Then allow me to make myself perfectly clear. _I'm not looking for company_."

Alright, fair. He'd made his move and had been turned down, and Gladio couldn't force what wasn't there. He raised a hand, palm open, admitting defeat. "Let me know if you change your mind about that drink," he said as he walked away, aware of the eyes following him back to the bar and feeling mildly stupid. It could have gone worse. Could have gone better too, but that was besides the point, even if Takka did give him a long, flat stare before pouring him another drink.

There was a time when he'd been good at this, could charm just about anyone with a few choice words and the right kind of look. Maybe he'd been on his own for too long. Sitting down, away from the Viera it was getting harder to believe that he'd felt some sort of connection, that he wasn't just chasing a pretty face, something new and exciting to dig his teeth into. Just like everyone else in the room, taken by something foreign and striking. 

The door of the tavern swung open while Gladio was working on his third drink, and the little hush that followed before everyone tried to resume their conversations told him all he needed to know. 

The Empire was here. He slouched down a little lower, for all the good that would do him. His size didn't make things easy, his only consolation being that there was bound to be more than one fugitive in the room. No good sky pirate went around broadcasting their face, but maybe they weren't looking for the sky pirate version of him. Maybe they were looking for an Amicitia. 

He heard the mechanical clank and grind of MTs moving into the room, and took a quick look at the figure approaching Takka at the other end of the bar before turning his head the other way. General Caligo Ulldor. Well... for the second time that night he thought about how it could have been worse. 

Takka was no snitch, but the fact that he couldn't hear the conversation that passed between them in hushed voices did nothing to ease his mind. How would the Empire have even _found_ him here, that was the question. He hadn't even planned on coming to Hammerhead until one of the fuel lines on the _Gilgamesh_ broke and he'd had to make an emergency stop. Unless they'd been tracking him? No, Gladio was careful and thorough when it came to disappearing, he would have known if they'd caught his scent. 

Caligo stepped away from the bar and he tried not to feel too relieved - he was far from in the clear, especially judging by the way that Caligo started scanning the tavern, searching. His MTs flanked the entrance, blocking any potential escape. And then Caligo move to the back of the room. 

"By order of Emperor Aldercapt, you are under arrest. I'm taking you into custody." 

Tawny ears twitched. "So you managed to find me after all."

"I'm not in the mood for games," Calligo said, and waved his MTs over. People were quick to get out of their way, and quicker to slip away from the unguarded door. Trouble was imminent. And Gladio couldn't stop watching. 

"You must know, I won't come quietly."

Calligo barely had a chance to sneer in response before the Viera jumped forward and attacked. 

Chaos erupted in the tavern as the rest of the customers bolted, scrambling to get out of the way as MT assassins responded to the threat, blades outstretched and flying wild, indiscriminate of who they trampled in their path to Calligo. 

The Viera clutched a pair of daggers in his hands, movements quick, but apparently Calligo wasn't as washed out as Gladio had assumed. He'd managed to unsheathe his sword and was blocking hits, but it was going to be a fast fight, and not in his favor. Or it would have been, if not for the MTs, and the Viera was so focused on the fight at hand he wasn't watching his flank. 

Gladio's hand found the greatsword strapped to his back and pulled it free in one smooth motion, already moving forward so that the first wide swing he took cut through an MT and sent it spiraling to the floor, a mess of sparks and ruined circuitry. And again, another wide swipe of his sword and another was down, nearly sliced in pieces from a diagonal slash through its chest. And again. 

A look over his shoulder, and the Viera was making quick work of him, easy to wear Calligo out when it was clear he wasn't used to fighting, not like this. Two more MTs and Gladio wasted no time on them, movements efficient from years of training, hating how good it felt to have the sword back in his hand. 

Gladio looked behind him again, just in time to see the Viera go for Calligo's throat, piercing it with surgical precision and leaving a spray of blood in his wake when he jerked his hand forward. Calligo hit the ground hard, gurgling as he went. Without a word the Viera wiped his daggers off on his clothes, the only sign of exertion in the rapid rise and fall of his chest. The were the only two left in the room, and Gladio made a decision. 

"Come on!" he said, grabbing the Viera's arm, pulling him forward. The place would be swarming with troops within minutes, they had to get out while they could, but the Viera seemed stuck to the spot, a surprised look on his face. "Come _on_ , we have an airship to catch."

" _Wait_."

Gladio let go. He was acting on impulse, but if his new passenger was a reluctant one, then Gladio would leave him. But he had to move. He couldn't get caught in the Empire's net.

"Ignis," the Viera said, and Gladio noticed how they stood at eye level, not something he often saw with his height. "My name is Ignis."

"Well Ignis," Gladio said, taking his hand, "I hope you're not afraid of heights. 

**Author's Note:**

> look i know balthier is iggy's long lost cousin but i've seen some people drawing ignis as a viera and i am................. smitten 
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> tumblr? @ [notthelasttime ](https://notthelasttime.tumblr.com/)


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